Electrical socket and support therefor



Dec. 3,- 1940.

P. P. HORN] ELECTRICAL SOCKET AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed June 18, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Paul R Horn-z" mvsu-ron Dec. 3, 1940. p HORN 2,223,991

ELECTRICAL SOCKET AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed June 18, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 2 w I E jj g '7 I! 9 W 4-, Pauifi Horm' lNV'ENTOR PatentedDec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATE PATENT Y OFFICE 1 Claim. (Cl. 173-358) Thisinvention pertains to electrical fixtures and more particularly .tosockets and, socket mountings used in conjunction with electric bulbs.

It is well known that electric bulbs which are used for'the purpose oflighting generally, frequently burn out and require replacing. Where theelectric light is in use almost continuously throughout the day andnight, it naturally follows that replacements would be more prevalentthan with the bulbs that are used only occasionally for illumination. Inthe case where there is almost continuous service on the bulb,

the replacement of these bulbs is so frequent that the sockets andsocket mountings which respectively directly and indirectly hold thebulbs become loose, mutilated, ineflicient, and generally defective. Inan eifort'to overcome these undesirable qualities, a socket and socketmount ing'has been invented which eliminates substantially all of theundesirable features mentioned hereinbefore.

The base of the electric bulb screws into a metallic shell, which shellis fastened into a supporting socket. The supporting socket isthereafter mounted in a suitable housing, carrying means, or spider, thelatter expression being generally used in reference to the carryingmeans for the socket in conjunction with apparatus for trafficsignalling equipment. Furthermore, difficultyis not only experienced bythe metallic shell twisting and rotating within its supporting housing,which twistingloosens and breaks off the electrical conductors whichsupply energy to the electric bulbs, but there. is alsoa longi-.

tudinal movement of the shell in its immediate housing, whichlongitudinal movement so weakens the anchoring means of the shell withinthe housing that this action causes the electrical 4o conductors to bebroken. This longitudinal movement frequently weakens the anchoringmeans to such an extent that the metallic shell will free itselfentirely from the electrical conductors and the housing and permit theelectric bulb to be removed from the socket with the metallic shellintact with the base of the bulb. The longitudinal movement of thehousing in relation to the spider is also undesirable. The reason forthe longitudinal movement being undesirable is primarily due to the factthat any longitudinal movement of the housing in relation to the spiderwould cause the bulb to be moved out of focus with its correspondinglight reflector. It is pointed out that in this particular 5arrangement, a light reflector is used in conjunction with the bulb toproperly reflect the light fortraific signalling purposes. While thelight reflector, lens, and other incidental parts are not shown, it ispointed out that the use of these parts per se, is .old in the art anditis not believed necessary to include them herein. However, it is to beunderstood that the description and operation of this invention embracesthe general parts set forth hereinbefore.

It is an object of this invention to provide 1() socket for anelectricbulb having an improved holding or locking means against longitudinaland rotational movement. A further object is to provide asocket for anelectric bulb having a key-like member formed from a part of the elec-15 trical conductor. A further, object is to provide ahousing for themetallic shell member, which housing has special locking means moldedtherein. A still further object is to provide a temporary locking meansbetween the housing and the spider for the.purpose of temporarilyfocusing the electricbulb in relation to its re-' flector, 'and apermanent locking means on the spider to more firmly grip the sockethousing.

Other and further objects may be and may 25 become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from a perusal of this invention withoutdepartingreference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which: i i

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear viewof the socket housing and the spidershowing the housing gripping means. l i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view partly shown 3- in section taken onlines-,22 of Fig. 1 showing the socket housing in. relation to thegripping means of the spider.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the complete socket housing and shell. 40

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the-socket having lead-in conductors.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view .of the socket housing per se.

Fig. 6 is a view of the metallic shell, partly in section in relation tothe electrical conductor which acts as a locking key.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a spacing insulator for one of the socketcontacts.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the socket housing 50 with the internalremovable parts omitted.

Fig. 9 is a front view of the spacing insulator.

Fig. 10 is a cross-section of the front view taken on lines Ill-l0 ofFig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a rear view of the spacing insulator.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the spacing insulator taken on lines |2|2 of Fig. 11.

Referringparticularly to Fig. 1, there is a spider l3, which supports asocket housing I4, which housing has an adjusting screw l5, whichprovides a temporary locking means when the electric bulb is beingfocused in relation to its reflector. |6!6 are opposing sides of agripping means which are clamped together .by a screw H, which screw isthreaded into the part [6 to firmly grip the socket housing. I3 is aflange which engages part of the main casing for supporting the entirestructure presented in this invention.

In Fig. 2 the screw [5 is more clearly shown-in the manner in which itgrips the socket housing i4 during the temporary focusing.

In both Figs. 1 and 2 an elongated keyor locking member is shown, whichmember is molded integrally with the socket housing [4. The spider I3provides an opening for the housing .14, but a slot .or key-way l9isprovided therein for the purpose .of permitting the socket housing M tobe moved along a longitudinal axis of the spider. It willbe noted thatthe key I3 does not engage the screw-.11. Thus it will be clear thatthere will be ample freedom of movement for the socket housing .inrelation to the spider.

A more comprehensive showing of the socket housingis presented in Fig.8. This View shows the socket housing l4, having its key-way I3 and itsexternalkey i8. The ribs 20, on the inside of the socket housing, areutilized for the purpose of holding the metallic shell centrally spacedfrom the housing. The ribs 20, are more clearly shown in Fig. 5. Theshell .2l, is shown in Fig. .3 in relation to the housing. I4, metallicconductor 22, which engages "the bottom of the electric bulb, theinsulating spacing member 23, the key I 8, the key-way I3, and itscorresponding locking conductor 24.

The'sectional view in Fig. 4 shows the housing l4, withelectricalconductors 24 and 25, inserted through openings in saidhousing, and engaging the shell 21 and the opposing electrical contactor26.

In Fig. '7 the conductor 25, is shownengaging an eyelet 21, which issoldered to the contactor 26 to insure a good electrical contact. Theeyelet 21, holds the'contactor'23 securely against the insulator spacingmember 28, which electrical contactor is substantially held from lateralmovement on the side walls 29, which provideaseating means for thecontactor.

Figs. 9; 10, and 12 show'the general structure of the insulator spacingmember having spaced parts 30 and 33 which are used as locking means tohold the insulating spacing member in substantially fixed relation tothe base of the socket housing and the shell.

It will be noticed that a bead or ridge .3], goes substantially aroundthe inside of the socket housing and is abutted by one edge 32, of theshell 2!. The space 33 provides a working distance for the edge 32 ofthe shell 2|, which edge 32 may move between the bead 3| and the rim 34before the shell is securely cemented into position shown in Fig. 4.

In actual construction the insulating spacing member 28 is placed withinthe shell and engages the lower rim thereof, the parts 303fl of saidinsulating spacing member protruding from the shell to be immersed in abinder 35, which securely holds the spacing insulating member in fixedrelation to the shell and the housing. The binder 35 utilized may be anysuitable cementitious, ceramic, ceraceous, or plastic insulatingmaterial. The method of applying the binder is immaterial, however, itis set forth that the binder is usually placed in the socket before theparts are assembled.

' In Fig. 6 a more comprehensive showing of the shell is presented inrelation to the conductor 24. Spots of solder 36 are shown in this viewto indicate that the conductor is mechanically secured to the shell,which solder also provides a plurality of positive electricalconnections.

From the foregoing, it is pointed out that the conductor 24 acts as akey in the key-way [3. In Fig. 3 it will be noted that the key-way I3 issubstantially filled by the conductor 24, which prevents any greatamount of lateral movement of the shell within the housing. The binderwhich holds the insulator spacing member infixed relation to the housingalso urges the :edge 32 and shell 2| against the bead 3|. Thisarrangement prevents any great amount of longitudinal movementof theshell within the socket housing. The openings 37, as shown in Fig- '8,more clearly depict the space provided .for the conductors 24 and 25.

From the foregoing, it is pointed out that the arrangement of parts andthe construction of this invention clearly indicate that there issubstantially no lateral nor longitudinal movement between the shell andthe socket housing which is also trueof the relation between the sockethousing and the spider. While specific details of the system have beenherein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto aschanges and alterations may be and may become apparent to those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by theappended claim.

Having thus described the inventiomwhat I claim as'new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

A housing for a socket .of the class described having a central aperturetherein to receive a metallic shell, a metallic shell loosely insertedwithin said housinghaving a bare metallic locking conductor securedlongitudinally along substantially the length of the shell, and saidhousing having a longitudinal groove therein longer than the length ofthe metallic conductor secured to the shell said conductor substantiallyfitting into 'saidgroove.

' PAUL P. HORNI.

